The pebble people sculptures at Freshwater Bay beach. Picture by Jennifer Burton.
VIDEO
MORE than 100 people turned out over the weekend to help create a pebble people sculpture in Freshwater Bay.
Children, their parents and even a few grandparents all grabbed a bucket to collect pebbles for the sculpture which has been organised by the West Wight Landscape Partnership (WWLP).
Modelled on a family and their dog enjoying a picnic on the beach, it was created using galvanised wire netting and metal support poles.
Even the local wildlife came to see what was going on.
A seal made a rare appearance in the bay just off the beach where the sculpture was being created, and watched everyone hard at work.
The project was the brainchild of WWLP’s Irene Fletcher.
She said: "It’s been a fantastic weekend, everyone has worked so hard to create something really special. It’s quirky but at the same time will have no environmental impact as all the materials used are inert or natural beach materials.
"Even the clay flood that was created by local school children is completely biodegradable."
Working with Irene on the structures were Penny Rushton, of Festival Arts, who also ran the clay workshops in the schools, and volunteers Brooke Engledow and Jenny and Chloe Jackson.
Since its completion on Sunday afternoon, the sculpture has been proving a big hit with visitors and walkers, with everyone stopping to admire it or have their picture taken alongside the pebble family.
The sculpture will be in place for the next six weeks, during which time the WWLP is running a photography competition.
Visit www.wwlp.co.uk or the Freshwater Bay Lifeboat shop for further information.
Meanwhile, there will be an exhibition at Dimbola Lodge about the pebbles and the geology of the area.
• More pictures in the Friday, July 23, County Press.
Reporter: martinn@iwcpmail.co.uk
Pebble people picnic at Freshwater Bay.
Video by Christian Beasley - www.virtuallywight.co.uk.